Talking Baseball History

This week on Sports and Torts, we have shortstop Lennie Merullo, the last surviving player from the 1945 Chicago Cubs. We'll also speak with former big league hurler Ernie Broglio, who just celebrated the 50th anniversary of the June 15, 1964 trade that sent him from the St. Louis Cardinals for a guy named Lou Brock.

Episode Segments:

Sports and Torts: Shortstop Lennie Merullo As the Cubs celebrate the 100th Anniversary of Wrigley Field, it's also a reminder that they have never won a World Series there. In fact, it's been sixty seven years since a World Series game was even played there. And there's only one man left from that 1947 Cubs team. He's our guest Lennie Merullo, and he's also the oldest living player to play in any World Series.
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Sports and Torts: Ernie Broglio It's been 50 years since the Cubs sent Lou Brock, Paul Toth and Jack Spring to the Cards for Doug Clemens, pitcher Bobby Shantz and our guest Ernie Broglio. It's considered to be one of the most lopsided deals in major league history. But at the time, the Cubs thought they got the better end of the deal.
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Guest(s) Appearing on this Episode

Lennie Merullo Merullo played shortstop for the Chicago Cubs for seven years in the major leagues in the 1940s. He appeared in three games during the 1945 World Series against two-time MVP Hal Newhouser, pitchers Virgil Trucks, Tommy Bridges, and slugger Hank Greenberg of the Detroit Tigers, who defeated the Cubs in seven games in the Series—the last one the Cubs have played in as of 2013. With the death of Andy Pafko on October 8, 2013, Merullo is the only living man to have played for the Cubs in a World Series. Merullo's major league career began in 1941, and in 1942-45 he won the shortstop job, with Stan Hack playing third base and Merullo's roommate, Phil Cavarretta, at first base. In 1946, Billy Jurges, Bobby Sturgeon and Merullo shared the shortstop position until Merullo won the position back again in 1947. During this period, Merullo was known to have the quickest throwing arm in baseball. After retiring from professional baseball, Merullo was chief scout for the Cubs from 1950–72, signing, among others, relief pitcher Moe Drabowsky. He left the Cubs in 1973 to join the then-fledgling Major League Baseball Scouting Bureau, where he served until his retirement at the age of 85 in 2003. Lennie's Career Stats

Ernie Broglio Broglio signed with the independent Oakland Oaks of the Pacific Coast League after he attended West Contra Costa Junior College. He was acquired by the New York Giants in 1956. After two seasons in the Giants’ minor league system—when he won 17 games each year—Broglio was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals in October 1958. Although he led the National League in wins with 21 for the 1960 Cardinals and won 18 for the 1963 Redbirds, Broglio is best remembered as the “other player” in the ultimately lopsided trade that sent future Baseball Hall of Fame outfielder Lou Brock from the Chicago Cubs to the Cardinals on June 15, 1964. When the deal was made, it was seen as a heist for the Cubs. Broglio had won 18 games the year before and was considered a top-flight starting pitcher. Brock—one of the fastest men in the game with surprising power as a hitter—had been a disappointment in Chicago. But Brock would bat .348 for the rest of the ’64 season, leading the Cardinals to a world championship. He then would play another 15 years, star in two more World Series (1967–68), and set the career stolen base record (938, since broken by Rickey Henderson). Broglio compiled a record of seven wins and 19 defeats for the Cubs. His final record in the majors: 77 wins, 74 defeats, with an earned run average of 3.74. The term “Brock for Broglio” is still in use in the sports world to signify a lopsided player trade.